Boarding ladder and winch mount system for boat trailers and the like

Abstract

An access step and winch mounting assembly is provided for a load carrying device, such as a boat trailer. The assembly includes a front member for mounting on a frame of the trailer, a top member extending from the front member and a cross bar connected to the to member. The top member mounts a winch for drawing a load onto the trailer. The cross bar mounts load engaging members. A step subassembly includes a stringer depending downwardly from the cross bar and multiple rungs with arcuate configurations each extending between the front member and the stringer member. The step subassembly is outwardly and laterally convex.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is as follows: 
     
       1. An access step and winch mounting assembly for mounting on a trailer tongue, which comprises: (a) a front structural member which is angled upward and rearward from a bottom to a top portion thereof;   (b) a mount designed to attach said front structural member to the trailer tongue;   (c) a cross bar with opposite ends;   (d) a substantially horizontal top member, said top member being attached to and extending substantially perpendicularly outward from said cross bar and connecting directly to said front structural member such that an angle of substantially 90 degrees is formed between said top member and said cross bar, said top member including a winch mounting surface;   (e) a step stringer attached to and extending downward from said cross bar; and   (f) a plurality of rungs with opposing first and second ends, said rungs having a spaced horizontal relationship with each other, each said rung being positioned with both of said first and second ends positioned within a pie shaped space defined by the substantially 90 degree angle between said top member and said cross member such that at least one of said rungs occupies at least 25 degrees of said angle between said top member and said cross bar.   
     
     
       2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein: (a) said rungs have outwardly and forwardly convex curved configurations between their ends.   
     
     
       3. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein: (a) said step stringer comprises a stringer member which slopes rearwardly from bottom-to-top; and   (b) said rungs define a frusto-conical structure which slopes rearwardly and inwardly from bottom-to-top.   
     
     
       4. The assembly according to claim 3, which includes: (a) a lowermost rung having a greatest diameter;   (b) an intermediate rung having an intermediate diameter; and   (c) an uppermost rung having a smallest diameter.   
     
     
       5. The invention of claim 1, which includes: (a) each said rung having a diameter, said diameters being progressively smaller from bottom-to-top.   
     
     
       6. The assembly according to claim 1, which includes: (a) a hand rail connected to said cross bar and extending upwardly therefrom.   
     
     
       7. The assembly according to claim 6, wherein: (a) said hand rail comprises an elongated tube with a first leg mounted on said cross bar and a second leg spaced therefrom; and   (b) a rounded hand rail top interconnecting said first and second legs.   
     
     
       8. The assembly according to claim 1, which includes: (a) first and second load engaging means each mounted on a respective cross bar end and projecting upwardly therefrom.   
     
     
       9. The assembly according to claim 1, which includes: (a) load engaging means mounted on ends of said cross bar; and   (b) said load engagement means comprises a pair of generally vertical load engagement members each attached to a respective cross bar end.   
     
     
       10. The assembly according to claim 1, which includes: (a) a base plate mounted on said front structural member bottom portion and adapted for connection to said trailer tongue.   
     
     
       11. The assembly according to claim 10, which includes: (a) a gusset plate connected to and extending between said front member and said base plate.   
     
     
       12. An access step and winch mounting assembly for a trailer including a trailer frame with a longitudinal member forming a tongue and mounting a trailer hitch, said trailer being adapted for receiving a load, said trailer including a winch for drawing a load onto the frame thereof, which comprises: (a) a tubular front structural member with upper and lower ends, said front structural member having an orientation sloping rearwardly from bottom-to-top;   (b) a base plate fixedly mounted on said front structural member lower end;   (c) a gusset extending between and fixedly connected to said front structural member adjacent the lower end thereof and to said base plate;   (d) access step and winch mounting assembly mounting means for mounting said base plate on said trailer frame longitudinal member;   (e) a top member comprising a downwardly-open channel section extending generally horizontally longitudinally and having front and back ends, said top member being fixedly mounted on said top member with said channel thereof receiving said front structural member upper end;   (f) winch mounting means for mounting the winch on the top member in proximity to the front end thereof;   (g) a hollow tubular top bar with first and second opposite side ends, said cross bar being fixedly connected to said top member back end intermediate the cross bar side ends, the cross bar extending generally horizontally transversely;   (h) the step assembly including: (1) a stringer member having a tubular cross-sectional configuration and upper and lower ends, said stringer member being fixedly connected at its upper end to said cross bar intermediate said top member back end and a respective cross bar side end, said stringer member having an orientation extending generally downwardly and outwardly from said cross bar connection;   (2) a lowermost rung;   (3) an intermediate rung;   (4) an uppermost rung;   (5) each said rung having a first end fixedly connected to said front structural member and a second end fixedly connected to said stringer member, each said rung having an outwardly and forwardly convex configuration and a diameter, said lowermost rung having the greatest diameter, said intermediate rung having an intermediate diameter and said uppermost rung having a least rung diameter;   (6) a landing having a general configuration of a quarter circle with a side edge fixedly connected to said top member and a back edge fixedly connected to said cross bar and a free edge with an arcuate configuration having a diameter less than a diameter of said uppermost rung; and   (7) said stringer and said landing free edge form a step surface with a frusto-conical configuration converging upwardly and sloping inwardly and rearwardly from bottom-to-top;     (i) a pair of angle sections each having upper and lower ends and being mounted on a respective cross bar side end in proximity to the lower end thereof, each said angle section having a side flange mounted on a respective cross bar side end and a rear flange facing rearwardly;   (j) a pair of load engagement pads each mounted on a respective angle section rear flange and including resilient engagement means for engaging a load on said trailer; and   (k) a hand rail including a first, inner leg with a lower end fixedly mounted on said cross bar and extending upwardly therefrom, said first leg terminating at an upper end, a bite section mounted on said first leg upper end and having a configuration which curves through approximately 180°, a second leg with an upper end connected to said bite section and a lower end, said first leg having an orientation extending generally vertically from said cross bar intermediate said top member back end and a respective side end associated with said step structure; said second leg having an orientation converging upwardly with respect to said first leg, said second leg having a lower end; and an elbow section extending from said second leg lower end to a fixed connection with a respective load engagement member.   
     
     
       13. An access step and winch mounting assembly for mounting on a structure having a frame, which comprises: (a) a front structural member with upper and lower ends;   (b) mounting means for mounting said front structural member of said trailer frame;   (c) a top member with front and back ends, said top member being mounted on said front structural member upper end;   (d) a cross bar with opposite ends, said cross bar being mounted on said top member back end intermediate its opposite ends;   (e) step stringer means for rung support mounted on said cross bar between said top member and a respective cross bar end, said stringer means depending downwardly from said cross bar;   (f) a rung extending generally horizontally between and connected to said front structural member and said stringer means at respective opposite ends of said rung;   (g) a top landing with a longitudinal edge connected to said top member and a transverse edge connected to said cross bar; and   (h) said top landing has a configuration generally comprising a quarter-circle with a forwardly and outwardly convex curved edge.   
     
     
       14. An access step and winch mounting assembly for mounting on a structure having a frame, which comprises: (a) a front structural member with upper and lower ends;   (b) mounting means for mounting said front structural member of said trailer frame;   (c) a top member with front and back ends, said top member being mounted on said front member upper end;   (d) a cross bar with opposite ends, said cross bar being mounted on said top member back end intermediate its opposite ends;   (e) step stringer means for rung support mounted on said cross bar between said top member and a respective cross bar end, said stringer means depending downwardly from said cross bar;   (f) a rung extending generally horizontally between and connected to said front member and said stringer means at respective opposite ends of said rung;   (g) a top landing connected to said top member and said cross bar; and   (h) said top member comprises a channel section receiving said front member upper end and mounting said cross bar.